*SHIPPING OPTIONS VARY DEPENDING ON THE DESTINATION, PLEASE SCROLL TO THE END OF THIS LISTING FOR MORE DETAILS.

This listing is for an Arita-ware yunomi tea cup made around 20 years by noted potter, Obata Yuji.  It is made of porcelain and decorated with beautiful hand-painted depictions of sakura cherry blossoms.  Obata sells this particular cup for 16,500 yen brand new.  The signature of the potter can be found on the bottom, and it comes with its original signed wooden storage box.  It also comes with a Japanese language profile paper about the potter. 

Obata Yuji (b.1961) is an Arita-ware porcelain artist and current master of Jin Gama in Saga.  In 1984 he graduated from the Law Department of Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, and he returned to Kyushu and graduated from the Saga Prefectural Arita Ceramics College in 1987. In 1997 his work was selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition, his work has also been selected for the Japan Ceramics Exhibition, as well as the prestigious Issuikai Exhibition.  He has held numerous solo exhibitions at Takashimaya Department Store in Tokyo and Osaka, and he held a special solo exhibition in New York in 2017.   He is a regular member of Japan Crafts Association and Arita Ceramics Association, and he belongs to an organisation called Saga Art Association Friends.  He is best known for his highly detailed hand-painted porcelain pieces, his most popular being his cherry blossom series.  **Fellow sellers, this information was researched by Kominka Zakka and CANNOT be used in your own listings.

Arita-ware refers to porcelain produced in the town of Arita in the southern island of Kyushu. In 1616 a Korean potter named Ri Sanpei discovered kaolin at Mt. Izumiyama, thus resulting in the birth of Japanese porcelain. Arita-ware is sometimes referred to as Imari-ware, and this is because export wares were shipped from the nearby port in Imari town. Edo period Arita-ware is generally classified into three groups; Ko-Imari (Early Imari), Kinrande (gold painted porcelain), and Kakiemon (elegant motifs of birds, animals and flowers). Another special, high quality porcelain known as Nabeshima (featuring woven/textile patterns) was also produced and given as gifts to the Imperial court and ruling class. To this day Arita remains at the centre of porcelain production in Japan.

Sizes

Box:  H.9.4cm (3.7”) x 11.2cm (4.4”) x 9.7cm (3.8”)

Cup:  H.8.1cm (3.1”) x Dia.7.1cm (2.7”)

Condition

It’s in very good condition with no chips or cracks.

THESE ARE SHIPPING ESTIMATES BASED ON THE CURRENT GLOBAL SITUATION                                                                 

**Germany, France, Greece, Spain, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Lithuania, Slovenia:  NO SHIPPING.  Very strict and expensive packaging laws in place and we are not licensed to send products to these countries.  We have no plan to register at this time because the process is in some cases very expensive and complicated, plus each country has its own set of regulations and application process. 

**USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Norway: Airmail Small Packet (approx. 15-28 days).  Combined shipping available up to 2kgs for Airmail Small Packet (please send us a message).

**Asia:  Airmail Small Packet (approx. 15-21 days).  Combined shipping available up to 2kgs for Airmail Small Packet (please send us a message).

**Central Asia, Middle East, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico:  EMS Express 10-15 days.

**Russia:  No shipping methods available.